The King Abdulaziz Camel Festival is a monthlong extravaganza honoring the “ships of the desert” and their place in Saudi Arabia’s history. But this year, it's about more than just camels — it's about a closed-off kingdom showing signs it wants to open up.

Saudi Arabia announced $1.5 billion in new aid for Yemen this week, a move it says is aimed at alleviating the country’s humanitarian crisis nearly three years into a Saudi-led military campaign there. But critics, among them a number of Yemenis, have questioned the motives behind the donation, given the Saudis’ own role in prolonging the crisis.

The Saudi prince who owns 1/3 of Twitter disappeared into the Riyadh Ritz-Carlton on Nov. 8 and has not been seen since. But the apparent incarceration of Prince Alwaleed bin Taleel — the 45th richest man on Earth and friend of billionaires Rupert Murdoch and Bill Gates — is not getting a lot of media attention. CNBC's Jake Novak explains why few are now talking about Saudi Arabia's Twitter Prince.

Two-time world chess champion Anna Muzychuk says she is boycotting the next world championship tournament because it's being held in Saudi Arabia, where women's rights are severely restricted. The Ukrainian is giving up her chance to win record prize money and the chance to defend her title because she doesn't want to feel like a "secondary creature."

On March 26, 2015, Saudi Arabia entered the Yemen civil war with support from the US and the UK. A Western reporter and Yemenis from the north to the south tell how warring sides are dug in and civilians are becoming accustomed to the fighting.

Some of Saudi Arabia's wealthiest and most prominent figures are being held inside the Ritz-Carlton hotel in Riyadh, as part of what's being dubbed an anti-corruption crackdown by Saudi's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. The BBC's Lyse Doucet is the first journalist allowed inside the hotel.

Saad Hariri, who became Lebanon's prime minister less than a year ago, sparked a national crisis when he resigned on Nov. 4 in a televised address from Saudi Arabia. Then he was not heard from for days.

From a Yemeni missile attack to the resignation of Lebanon's prime minister, the "Cold War" between Middle East rivals Saudi Arabia and Iran has been heating up. Experts believe the risk of a direct military clash is low, but why have tensions escalated now and how will the crisis evolve?

Updated

09/23/2016 - 11:30am

The US has approved the biggest arms deal in history: a $38 billion agreement to supply Israel with jets, bombs, missiles and military support for the next 10 years. And now that the paper is signed, look for arms deals with Israel's Arab neighbors to proceed.

Updated

06/28/2015 - 3:30pm

It's reminiscent of a black-and-white pirate flag and, for some, it conjures up similar feelings of death, destruction, outlaws and violence. Here is our quick explanation of the symbolism of the flag and the meaning of its Arabic phrases.

Iran and Saudi Arabia have upped the ante in their war of words. Both are now denouncing the other's Islamic legitimacy. The two Persian Gulf powers are already locked in numerous proxy conflicts across the region. The US is not happy about the mess.

Since the tragic attack at the French satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo, there have been a lot of questions about how Islam views depiction of the Prophet Muhammed. So, can you or can't you draw the Prophet?

Donald Trump is visiting Saudi Arabia this week. It's his first international trip as president — and many think it's what motivated a sudden announcement by the Saudi king that male guardianship laws restricting women will be reviewed.